Lobbying in Europe, Weber Shandwick's Top Tips
Top 10 tips for European Lobbying:
-
Horizon Scan – keep an eye on what is coming down the track to be able to stay ahead of the game.
-
Set goals and objectives that are realistic and measureable.
-
Know who your targets are. Find out their position and track record on your issue. This will determine what key messages and information you push in their direction.
-
Focus on where decisions are made or initiated and make yourself apparent.
-
Commission research that will provide you with evidence. Carry out surveys, polls, interviews that will provide you with a suite of facts and figures.
-
Build a coalition of support or join a European network with like minded organisations such as a business or membership organisation.
-
Make contact with officials and elected representatives at a regional and national level before spreading your campaign to the supra-national level.
-
Provide your contacts and coalition with regular updates on progress via briefing papers newsletter, meeting programmes.
-
Allocate your resources effectively. Buying into a public affairs consultancy can get you a depth of expertise that can support the navigation of the European system.
-
Measure your progress and results as you go along. It helps to show elected representatives and official that progress is being made to help propel your campaign.
Trying to navigate the European system from scratch can be a daunting task. However it is achievable with good organisation and the efficient allocation of resources.
Despite the turnout at the latest European elections weighing in at 43%, the European institutions are powerful and can provide business, non-profits and even national governments with challenges and opportunities. In short, it can be counter-productive if you don’t engage with Brussels either way.
Setting up a campaign and managing issues can be a timing consuming and resources sapping exercise. Here are some ways in which European lobbying can be made easier:
Research Rules:
One thing that you will learn early is that having an evidence based campaign with facts and figures that can stand up to a high level of scrutiny is essential. In organising your campaign it is beneficial if you can put the key massages on one page.
Lobbying Targets
When starting out it is important to engage your local MEP. MEPs are democratically elected and will provide you with advice and assistance in making contacts at the European level. Remember that you will probably be more knowledgeable than your local MEP so do take time to brief them on your issues and explain how and why they are important.
Horizon Scanning
In Europe getting in early is essential. It is important that someone from your organisation, network or working on your behalf is on the ground and connecting and communicating with the right people. Without doubt the Commission has the greatest power as it has the ability to initiate whereas the Parliament debates and the Council acts as final arbiter on issues such as regulation, directives and recommendations. In Brussels the early bird gets ahead.
Why it’s OK to lobby
There are literally thousands of issues that the European Commission is currently working at any one time. EU Decisions makers are only human and are open to dialogue. This is made more apparent when we realise that the decision makers are generalist law makers and not technical experts, who are understaffed in relation to the expertise they need to understand. Most medium to large multi-national companies are already present in Brussels.
Why should business care
Sitting back and letting Brussels set laws and policy is a game of risk. The implementation of a certain type of policy can have a negative impact very quickly. This could be in the form of product regulations and changes to competition policy. Europe can also present great opportunities in terms of subsidies, aids, tax exemptions and public contracts. Engagement is key.
Who Does What?
European Commission
The European Commission is the politically independent institution that represents and upholds the interests of the EU as a whole. It is the driving force within the EU’s institutional system: it proposes legislation, policies and programmes of action and it is responsible for implementing the decisions of Parliament and the Council.
European Parliament
The European Parliament (Europarl or EP) is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU). It is directly elected every five years it does not have legislative initiative, as most national EU parliaments do.
European Council
The European Council is the highest political body of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the Union's member states along with the President of the European Commission. Its meeting is chaired by the member from the member state currently holding Presidency of the Council of the European Union
To Submit Content For Inclusion, Contact:
